1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disposable liners for coolers.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
Coolers have various uses and are sometimes used as multipurpose containers. While generally used to contain ice, food, and beverages, these containers may also be used for items that can potentially make the container no longer useful for ice, beverage, and food containment. Specifically, sportsman use coolers for bait, caught fish, small prey, etc. Use of the cooler for such items can cause infiltration of odors, bacteria, bodily fluids, etc, into the liner of the cooler.
Coolers can be fairly expensive to replace. Further, personal storage in a home or apartment may be limited. Owning multiple coolers can be cost prohibitive and inconvenient. As such, solutions are needed that allow a cooler to have multiple uses without fouling the cooler.
General purpose liners have been used in the past, such as trash bags. However, trash bags are designed for optimal use in circular trash cans or tall, narrow, rectangular trash cans. These liners are not optimized for cooler dimensions. Further, general purpose liners do not accommodate optimally for coolers with lids. Many coolers have hinges connecting the container to the lid. The hinges are located at the top of the container and do not accommodate for placement of the liner over the rim of the cooler. This, in turn, may create a gap between the liner and inner portion of the cooler that allows for contact between the inner portion of the cooler and the contents.
It has been noted that some existing garbage can liners have flaps spaced along the opening thereof. There are typically two pairs of opposing flaps that are configured to operate as ties for the liners when the liners are full and ready for removal from the trash can. The flaps are spaced at opposed sides of the liner so as to drape over the sides of the garbage can, so that the flaps are more easily grasped. The flaps are not configured to fit over the corners of a trash can having a rectangular shaped opening.